A RUNCORN schoolboy is one of only 30 children from across the country to reach the semi-finals of a Government competition about climate change.

Callum McLean, 12, of Palacefields, was one of 600 applicants looking to be crowned the 2006 Young Climate Change Champion and was the equal youngest competitor to reach the semi-final stage.

The competition asked youngsters of secondary school age to create their own news report about climate change in any media, with Callum's video about local factories proving a huge success with a panel of experts.

Dad Ian McLean said: 'Callum entered the competition after seeing a notice about it pinned up on the school noticeboard and he said he just wanted to try something different.

'Two or three pupils from the school entered but, from this area, I believe only Callum and a girl from Prescot made it through to the semi-final.

'For the news report, Callum researched some ideas off the internet, put together a script and we took him in our car to shoot some footage of factories.

'After that, he edited it together on the computer and sent it off.

'He did all this very much on his own, practically everything he did himself.'

For the semi-final, Callum went to London, where he was grilled about his views and solutions for future climate change by a panel of five people, including Government Ministers

Elliott Morley, Minister for Climate Change, said: 'I have been astounded by the quality and quantity of the 600 applications, it is clear that there is a high level of motivation among young people on environmental issues.'